Who would’ve thought that water could cut through metal? This practice has actually been used dating back to the gold rush of the 1850’s. Back in those days, hot water and steam were used in the mining process to make clean and effective cuts. Today, Waterjet Cutting Machines are used to cut through pieces of metal. When water is channeled through a certain type of nozzle, and it is sprayed at a high enough pressure, it becomes a very effective tool for cutting pieces of metal. The high pressure is about thirty times more powerful than the typical water pressure at a car wash.
Machines that cut through metal often succumb to overheating or dulling of the cutting blade. With Waterjet Cutting Machines, neither of these issues will come up. The nature of the machine prevents it from overheating, and since there is no blade, it will not ever get dull. Another great feature of these machines is the fact that they can cut more than one piece of metal at a time. In the past, this was not possible, but the waterjet allows for several pieces to be cut to the exact same specifications all at once.
The machines are able to cut other materials along with metal. They are often used to cut pieces of marble, granite and other stone materials. The water leaves the waterjet at a speed of about nine hundred miles per hour. The machines are so accuarate that they can cut to within two thousandths of an inch, and they have jet speeds that are around Mach 3.
The waterjet machines save time because they are able to be the first and final cut with many projects. The accurate cuts eliminate the need for trimming or refining cuts, and this saves a great deal of time. The waterjet can cut materials up to four inches thick, and as thin as five thousandths of an inch. These machines are an innovation that many businesses will benefit from having. They operate quietly, they are odorless, and they are dust and heat free. Projects turn out better with the accurate cuts, and they are simple to operate once people are properly trained.